1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dismountable ladder and, more particularly, to a dismountable ladder comprising a pair of similarly shaped vertical upper sides formed at the top with downwardly depending U-shaped hooks for receiving a portion of a transom, swim or dive platform and formed at the bottom with openings for receiving a horizontal upper step for use with transom, swim or dive platforms thereby making access into and from a boat easier and safer.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the field of boat ladders, there have been a variety of devices designed to facilitate movement to and from boats. Commonly, a ladder or a unit comprising a platform and ladder is mounted to the transom of a boat for entering or exiting the boat. Additionally, ladders provide a convenient means of entering and exiting a boat that has been removed from the water.
Storage of boat ladders is essential when a boat is underway. Because of the space limitations inherent of boats, storage space on a boat is at a premium. The lack of storage space found available on a boat has greatly impacted the design of boat ladders. Many ladders have features incorporated into their design to facilitate their storage. Commonly, ladders are designed so that they remain exterior of the boat when the ladder is not in use or the boat is underway.
Typically, hinges are used to secure boat ladders to transom, swim or dive platforms that are permanently mounted to the transom of a boat. The hinged connections allow the ladder to swing into a position above the water's surface, but preclude the boat ladder from being portable from one boat to another boat.
As a result of most boat ladders are designed so that they can pivot about a fixed mounting point, the ladders are unable to adequately extend below the water line. If the boat ladders are constructed sufficiently long enough to extend below the water line, the length of the ladder precludes easy swinging of the ladder into the storage position or prohibits the ladder from resting on the top portion of a transom platform. Therefore, a method of extending boat ladders below the surface of the water is desirable.
The design of existing boat ladders precludes them from being easily transferred from one boat to another boat. Existing boat ladder designs do not permit boat ladders to be completely portable from one boat to another for depending downwardly from an existing ladder or transom, swim or dive platform into the water, thereby assisting a user to exit or enter a boat. In accordance with the present invention, any number of steps may be added.
The present invention is directed to improving known devices for providing access to and from a boat in a manner which is safe, secure, convenient, economical and aesthetically pleasing.
The prior art discloses several types of boat ladders for providing access to and from boats. By way of example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,195,680 to Thornburg Et Al, 3,794,140 to Sell, 4,712,503; 4,726,317; 4,735,285 and 4,768,618 to Ritten disclose ladder devices for mounting to the transom of a boat. The devices comprise a platform unit and step unit. Patent '680 to Thornburg discloses bracketry for receiving the platform unit to allow the platform unit to be removed from the boat's transom. Patents '285, '680, and '140 pivotally mount the step unit to the platform unit for allowing the step unit to be swung upwardly toward the boat to rest on to of the platform or against the boat when the step unit is not in use. The step unit can be swung downwardly and away from the boat to below the waterline to allow access to and from the boat. Alternately, Patent '285 to Ritten discloses a step unit that retracts to a position under the platform unit when the step unit is not in use. A pair of rings are secured to the platform unit to facilitate retracting the step unit. All the boat ladders in '680, '140, '503, '317, '285, and '618 disclose fixed hinges to allow the step unit to be pivoted with respect to the platform unit. The disclosed fixed hinge does not facilitate easy removal of the step unit, nor does the fixed hinge allow extra interlocking step units to be added to the boat ladder.
A variation of boat ladders having a platform unit and a step unit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,507 to Gibellato. the platform unit in '507 is adapted to be mounted to a tubular structure. The step unit is mounted to the platform unit by fixed hinges for allowing the step unit to pivot about the platform unit. The fixed hinge disclosure in '507 is not conducive to easy removal of the step unit or addition thereto. Nor is there any teaching to add extra interlocking step units to a boat ladder.
Additional ladders are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,941,617 to Stifler, 3,804,200 to Sandberg and 4,231,448 to Jensen. Patent '617 discloses an apparatus that comprises an auxiliary ladder rung that is clamped to the rails of an existing ladder. The clamping members allow the rungs to be adjusted vertically and interlocking rings and pins are disclosed for allowing the width of the ladder to be adjusted. However, the disclosure does not offer the advantages of easy removal or additions thereto.
Patent '200 discloses a step unit adapted to be permanently pivotally coupled to the lower end of a boat ladder. The step unit has arms projecting from one end with counterweights attached thereto. The counterweights serve to swing the step unit out of the water when the boat is underway. There are no provisions in the disclosure for easy removal of the step unit or addition thereto.
Patent '448 teaches a ladder that is suspended from the deck or side of a boat. Offset crank-like hangers are formed to pass over the gunwales of the boat without contacting them and secure to corresponding anchoring plates permanently secured to the boat's deck. The disclosure provides for hanging the ladder unit from the side of the boat without provisions for pivoting the ladder into a storage position when the ladder is not in use. Nor does the disclosure teach adding additional step units to the ladder for providing easier access to and from the boat.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,148,958 to Myers illustrates a step attachment apparatus for hanging a step from a conventional ladder. The apparatus is designed to provide a flat step for the user to stand upon, thereby reducing tiring of the user's feet and other body parts that normally results from standing on ladder rungs. The disclosure does suggest any teaching for adding interlocking steps to an existing boat ladder or transom, swim or dive platform for enabling the user to chose a stepping height that is comfortable, safe and convenient for them. Nor does the disclosure teach a method of swinging the step unit up to rest on top of a transom, swim or dive platform, remaining ready to use at anytime.
None of the prior art patents teaches or suggests the safe, secure, convenient, economical and aesthetically pleasing arrangement of providing access to and from a boat as described herein.
As illustrated by the prior art patents, and known commercial devices, efforts are continuously being made to improve boat ladders. None of the prior art efforts, however, suggest inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein. Prior efforts do not provide the benefits attendant with the present invention. The present invention achieves its purposes, objectives and advantages over the prior art devices through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, through of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reduction in cost to the manufacturer, and through the utilization of only readily available materials and conventional components.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a dismountable ladder for use with transom swim or dive platforms. The dismountable ladder has a pair of similarly shaped vertical upper side members. The upper end of each upper side member is formed as a downwardly depending U-shaped hook and is adapted to releasably receive a portion of a transom, swim or dive platform. The lower end of each upper side member has an opening with screw holes extending from interior of the opening to exterior of the lower end of the upper side member. Additionally, a horizontal upper step member is releasably coupled within the opening in the lower ends of each of the upper side members. Finally, the upper step member has a plurality of screw holes therein and screws for securing the upper step member to the upper side members through screw holes of the upper side members and upper step members.
Another object of this invention is to provide access to and from a boat in a manner which is safe, secure, convenient and aesthetically pleasing.
A further object of this invention is to provide a boat ladder that can easily moved from boat to boat.
A further object of this invention is to provide a boat ladder that can easily be economically added to the transom, swim or dive platform of any boat.
A further object of this invention is to provide a dismountable boat ladder that can be assembled or disassembled quickly and easily.
A further object of this invention is to provide a dismountable boat ladder that is portable and can be removed from a boat easily and quickly.
A further object of this invention is to provide a dismountable boat ladder that can remain on a boat that is underway by swinging the dismountable boat ladder up to rest on top of a transom, swim or dive platform, thereby remaining in place and ready to use at any time.
Lastly, it is an object of this invention to add extra interlocking steps to a dismountable boat ladder.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed as merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.